BEFORE THEY’RE GONE

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Message from the President Take a look at the difference Western makes in our communities One of the many ways to appreciate the magnitude of the differences Western alumni, students, faculty and staff make is to see how we enhance the places we call home. Western recently received the prestigious Community Engagement recognition from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The Carnegie Foundation defines Photo by Dan Levine community engagement as “the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/ state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.” While it is an honor to be so recognized, we also know that for many, many years Western has been changing lives for the better. For instance, Western alumni live in all 39 counties in Washington state. As entrepreneurs, innovators, professionals and business leaders, they are the educated work force that makes their local economies stronger. They are civic leaders, parents and volunteers who go the extra mile to ensure their communities are better places to live. Western faculty and student research reaches across the region, state and world in its benefits and applications. To name just a few, our researchers monitor lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and glaciers. They study earthquake threats, Mount Baker, declining bird populations and the health of Puget Sound ecosystems. They are exploring new treatments for hemophilia, the secrets of brain plasticity, the impact of military service on personal health, the existence of “dark energy” in distant galaxy clusters, and the development of the next generation of solar panels, alternative fuels and composite materials. There are other excellent examples in this issue of Window – such “Learning and Serving,” the story on Western’s strong commitment to service learning, which makes a significant difference in our community and is a practical, hands-on way for students to apply the skills they learned in the classroom. Western students spend tens of thousands of hours in service to the community through these projects. A fun way to learn about many of the exciting things going on at Western is to attend the event-packed 2011 Back 2 Bellingham Alumni and Family Weekend May 13 to 15. Details on the weekend plans are in this edition of Window. It is with great pleasure that we invite you to come back to campus, and I look forward to seeing you here! 4 WINDOW • Spring 2011 • Western Washington University
Window The magazine of Western Washington University Vol. 3 No. 2 Spring 2011 Editor Mary Lane Gallagher Mary.Gallagher@wwu.edu Contributing writers Matthew Anderson (‘06), Jim Carberry, Ron Judd (‘85), Doug McInnis, Andy Perdue (‘88) Photographers Matthew Anderson (‘06), Rachel Bayne, Jackie Johnston, Dan Levine, Rhys Logan, Lee Mann (‘60), Rod Mar, Julie Woodford Graphic Design/Production Chris Baker, Matthew Anderson (‘06) Copyeditor Catherine O’Mara Wallace Editorial Advisory Board Stephanie Bowers, Vice President, University Advancement Sherry Burkey, Associate Vice President, University Relations Paul Cocke, Director, University Communications Karen Copetas, Director, Admissions and Enrollment Planning Deborah DeWees, Executive Director, Alumni Association Paul Dunn, Senior Executive Assistant to the President Laurie Nesheim (’86), Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Alumni Association Steve Swan, Vice President, University Relations John Thompson, Assistant Director, University Communications Sheila Webb, Assistant Professor, Journalism Window is published in the fall and spring for alumni and friends of Western Washington University by the Office of University Communications, 516 High St., Bellingham, WA, 98225-9011 (360) 650-3350 Send change-of-address requests to: Western Washington University University Advancement – Constituent Records Old Main 430, MS 9030 Bellingham, WA 98225 or email alumni@wwu.edu Views expressed in Window are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official policy of Western Washington University. What do you think about WINDOW? If something you read in Window sparks a memory, question, inspiration or critique, let us know! We’ll run a sampling of your feedback in each edition. Send your thoughts to window@wwu.edu. Or, find us on online at www.wwu.edu/window and on Facebook. You may also send a note to Window Magazine, Office of University Communications, 516 High St., Bellingham, WA, 98225-9011. Thinking about the end gave her a good start Melna Skillingstead (’77, Recreation), enjoyed the article about Mike Town (‘84 and ‘85) in the Fall 2010 Window. Both her daughters loved Town’s AP Environmental Science class at Redmond High School and are now students at Western. It turns out Skillingstead and Town both were inspired by the same Western professor, John Miles. “A class assignment he gave directed the course of my professional career,” she writes. “It was to write my own obituary: what I wanted to be remembered for, which was to leave a lasting legacy in a community.” Skillingstead went on to develop community arts programs for the city of Redmond from 1981 to 2006. “For this achievement I received many awards,” she says, “including the 2000 Recreation Alumni of the Year award and several awards from the Washington Recreation and Parks Association.” Skillingstead, whose husband, Joel, is a 1990 graduate of Huxley College of the Environment, also reports that their daughter Kelly has gotten involved in the Compass 2 Campus mentoring program. “I am proud that we are a WWU family making a difference in the world,” she writes. Coming soon: your chance to help Window magazine get better Watch your email in-box in the coming weeks for a short survey asking your thoughts about Window magazine, from your favorite types of stories (athletics? faculty profiles? campus controversies?) to your favorite magazine format (print? online? both?). The anonymous survey will provide invaluable feedback for us as we make sure we’re producing the best possible magazine for alumni and friends of Western Washington University. More Window online Go to www.wwu.edu/window for online-only content including: • A story about how ’00 alumnus Phong Duong combined his love of outdoor adventure with his profession as a lawyer. • A look at DB Skimboards, a dream-come-true company founded by a group of high school buddies in Tacoma, including a few who continued to build the company while earning their WWU degrees. • An archive photo of Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies’ 1973 nod to tradition: a Junior-Senior prom. Window supports Western’s commitment to assuring that all programs and activities are readily accessible to all eligible people without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or veteran’s status. This publication is available in an alternate format. For information, call (360) 650-3350. www.wwu.edu/window 5
Page 1 and 2: BEFORE THEY’RE GONE World Wildlif
Page 3 and 4: “Celebration of Spring,” by Lee
Page 5: Photo by Rhys Logan 10 12 16 18 22
Page 9 and 10: WWU News Photo by Cynthia Brown (Ry
Page 11 and 12: WWU News National Science Foundatio
Page 13 and 14: or Andrew Cull (’01, Political Sc
Page 15 and 16: Anthropology Instructor Kathleen Sa
Page 17 and 18: SERVICE-LEARNING inA cti o n Course
Page 19 and 20: Even as a young auditor in Yakima,
Page 21 and 22: Huxley roots: Eric Dinerstein learn
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Page 25 and 26: University, becoming the first in h
Page 27 and 28: Western Legacy FAMILY OF THE YEAR J
Page 29 and 30: source, a modern company’s job is
Page 31 and 32: A Community UNITED WESTERN ALUMNI G
Page 33 and 34: Class Notes 1980 - Joseph Mayes (Vi
Page 35 and 36: Who’s calling from WWU? Students
Page 37 and 38: Class Notes Jeff Morris (‘83) is
Page 39 and 40: Photo by University of Pittsburgh:

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